Using yesterday’s software tools to tackle today’s energy, utility, and sustainability challenges is like taking a short hike—you might experience some subtle benefits, but you never break above the tree line. Without that elevated perspective, you miss out on the sweeping view and the insights that come with it.

Until recently, it was difficult to imagine smaller facility and energy teams accessing the tools to reach the summit. The resources were too expensive. The data were fragmented and difficult to parse.

That’s all changed. Now, smarter platforms can propel these teams higher and faster, delivering the clarity and control of a more expansive view and enabling perpetual adaptation for the climbs ahead.

We think of the energy and utility management journey as a five-step ascent. When new clients come to us, about 40% are caught in Step 1: the short hike. Most of the rest have made some progress but are stalled in Step 2: the plateau. Without stronger support, their summit chances are slim.

Software like our AI-enabled Empower platform can help teams reach Step 5: scaling peak after peak. That means not only setting and reaching a single set of goals but having the tools and agility to keep climbing onward—uncovering fresh savings, meeting evolving standards, and introducing new energy technologies to build long-term resilience.

Here’s what it takes to get there:

1)    Stuck in spreadsheets: Lacking clarity and insights

Before finding us, about 40% of our incoming clients were stuck below the tree line managing their utility and billing data in spreadsheets—or not at all.

They were spending a lot of time manually entering numbers with little visibility into where errors and waste were occurring, making it difficult to identify and prioritize capital projects to cut costs and reduce inefficiencies.

Many had been tasked with hiring expensive auditing firms to help. But without systems in place to capture and integrate those findings, results were minimal. They were left with costly reports and no clear path forward.

 2)    Stalled by underperforming software: Struggling with inactionable data

Most of our clients seek us out after plateauing with their existing energy and utility management software.

These platforms offer a boost over spreadsheets but tend to churn out reams of data that require large, specialized teams to extract usable information. That’s not realistic for most facility and energy teams; more data alone doesn’t always translate to better decision making.

With these platforms, staff are often still stuck manually reviewing billing data, creating a drag on resources that could be spent on higher-level tasks while introducing preventable errors that further cloud the picture. And even when data is available, staff often report struggling to turn it into strategic action, let alone package it into compelling narratives to sell their plans to decision makers.

3)    Clicking with the right platform: Gaining powerful, useable analytics while freeing resources

The most effective platform shoulders the heavy load, so facility and energy teams can focus on reaching the summit.

For instance, our AI-enabled Empower system automates data collection and continual analysis to provide detailed insights, forecasts, and savings recommendations. That means reducing the burden on your team and allowing for stronger coordination across departments.

But even the smartest platform is only powerful if people know how to use it. That’s why we pair intuitive design with hands-on training and support, ensuring clients not only understand the platform but are really putting it to work for them.

You can try our free savings calculator to see the time savings you could achieve using Empower.

 4)    Transforming data into action: Cutting utility costs and waste

Unlocking team resources while gaining strategic intelligence can provide that final summit push, where a clearer perspective helps turn data into energy-saving action. 

By automating the processes that generate reliable insights, teams gain the time and clarity to craft nimble and effective sustainability strategies; identify and prioritize high-impact capital upgrades; and measure and verify energy savings from completed projects. 

Meanwhile, AI-generated content—think digestible, data-backed narratives, visuals, and dashboards—can help decision makers assess project proposals and evaluate the performance of technology and service providers. These tools can also assist in earning the support of a broader community of stakeholders, from students to the public.

In other words, a smarter platform empowers your team to accomplish what was considered, until recently, far out of reach.

5)    Continuously adapting: Driving strategic planning to meet the moment

Conquering the summit is a major accomplishment—but it’s not the end of the journey. New peaks always lie ahead, undoubtedly presenting new challenges: Storms arise. Avalanches unleash. And a climber’s health is always in flux.

Today’s energy landscape is particularly complex and dynamic. For facility and energy teams, obstacles may appear as rising utility prices; changing climate realities; new energy technologies; and evolving regulations, internal goals, and incentives.

Using a smarter platform allows teams to adapt rapidly to shifting terrain, enabling flexible, effective planning and action every step of the way.

Ready to start your climb toward Step 5? Let’s schedule a quick call to see if our platform is right for you.